News
Biogen’s new data, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, supports a tau-focused approach to the intractable neurodegenerative disease; psychedelics are back in the news with more positive data from Compass Pathways and final guidance from the FDA; and the ATTR-CM space got a major shakeup with the late-stage failure of AstraZeneca and Ionis’ antisense therapeutic.
FEATURED STORIES
Biogen touted an “unprecedented” drop in tau in a Phase 2 trial, backing the company’s decision to take diranersen to Phase 3 despite a missed primary endpoint and seemingly supporting the anti-tau approach.
As antibody-drug conjugates advance and move into earlier lines of treatment, drug developers have to build gentler therapies that don’t just extend survival but improve it.
FDA’s rare disease decisions are strongest when the patient community has a voice in advisory committee decisions.
FROM OUR EDITORS
Read our takes on the biggest stories happening in the industry.
Congressional letters sent to the CEOs of Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, BMS and AbbVie this week voicing concerns about the pharmas’ clinical trials in China highlight an ongoing discrepancy in how government and industry think about the rise of the Asian country’s biotech industry.
THE LATEST
The makers of ranitidine-based products, such as Sanofi, GSK and Haleon, are reeling from lawsuits related to carcinogenic contamination that could result in billions of dollars in damages.
Centessa halted ZF874 following the report of an adverse event that involved elevated liver enzymes in a Phase I study. This is the second development program the company has stopped in as many months.
A new study on Alzheimer’s disease ties the brain’s immune response to the condition, while scientists have identified a better antibody treatment for cancer and more research news.
Panacell Biotech plans to initiate a program to investigate the use of natural killer (NK) immune cells, exosomes and brown adipose-derived stem cells to treat Long COVID.
Vyne Therapeutics’ combination therapy for atopic dermatitis failed to meet the primary endpoint in a Phase II trial, leaving the company evaluating its priorities and pipeline.
MaaT Pharma announced that the U.S. FDA has maintained the clinical hold on MaaT013, its candidate for patients with steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease.
Versant Ventures launched Vector BioPharma, a company developing a “precision gene delivery platform that is devoid of viral genes.” Rani, REVA Medical and Summit Therapeutics also scored funds.
Gemini Therapeutics and Disc Medicine have announced plans to merge in an all-stock deal. The combined company will work to advance Disc’s pipeline of hematology programs.
Monkeypox is spreading, COVID-19 stubbornly persists and on Tuesday, news broke of a Langya henipavirus outbreak in China.
Endo International filed for bankruptcy Tuesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York due to its debt load of over $8 billion and the thousands of opioid lawsuits.